Tocker Foundation Grants

History

The Tocker Foundation was established in 1964 to implement the philanthropic interests of Phillip and Olive Tocker. Phillip Tocker was a practicing attorney but changed careers in his later years by purchasing the Waco outdoor advertising plant and later expanding to own outdoor advertising plants throughout the United States. His vocational career culminated to the position of President of the Outdoor Advertising Association of America. After retiring to Austin in 1973, Phillip and Olive Tocker actively pursued their avocations. Phillip and Olive Tocker endowed the foundation with their estates in 1994 and 1993 respectively.

In 1992 the foundation board decided to focus grant distribution to small rural libraries in Texas serving a population of 12,000 or less. The direction is to assist libraries in making services more accessible to individuals who by reason of distance, residence, handicap, age, literacy level or other disadvantage are unable to receive the benefits of public library services. Grants are distributed to assisting libraries to serve as community information referral centers and provide literacy and bilingual programs. The Foundation partners with community libraries to meet the particular needs of the community.